Last August we found good award flight availability from Rio De Janiero (GRU) back home to OKC for early June 2018. 75k miles plus $58 in fees for good flights in DeltaOne class with availability for 4 people. We booked it in August. Since then a few things have changed and we decided not to visit Brazil.
I have needed to cancel for a while but also didn’t want to pay the $150 redeposit fee per person to get out miles back. If there is a significant itinerary change, you can typically get that fee waived. It pays to wait untill close to the last minute to see what may change. Also if you are a diamond or platinum member on Delta, that fee is waived. Well I have already qualified for Gold next year, but wont get the additional miles needed for Platinum in the next few weeks. However we did have some itinerary changes I decided to call the Delta help desk. When I logged into my account it told me I had some flight changes and needed to confirm the changes are acceptable or call them for more information. I thought yes, I can get out of the $600.
I wish I could have seen the reps face on the phone as he thought I must have been crazy. It went something like this:
ME- There was a schedule change and I would like to cancel my award ticket.
DELTA- I’m sorry to hear that. Let me look at the routing and see what we can do to help you out…. I don’t see what the change is though, can you tell me what the change is?
ME- when I login it says there was a change so I just want to cancel.
DELTA- Do you know what the change is.
ME- I don’t do well with change, so please cancel.
DELTA- Oh I see now, Your flight pattern changed and you actually get in 2 minutes early.
ME- 2 Minutes! Cancel it.
DELTA- Um OK, there is a $150 redeposit fee per person
ME- But there was a change, cant that be waived
DELTA- Sorry not when its insignificant like this.
Well I tried:)
TrupTravels 